PATS' SACK DANCE TICKS OFF TOMLINSON (Class Alert)

NY Post | 1/15/07 | Mark Cannizzaro

[beyond the sea]

LaDanian Tomlinson, usually very mild-mannered, became incensed after the Chargers' 24-21 loss to the Patriots yesterday when some New England players began mocking Shawne Merriman's sack dance on the Chargers' logo.

"I was very upset," said Tomlinson, who went after some of the New England players. "I would never react that way. I'm a very, very classy person. When you go to the middle of a field and you're doing the dance that Merriman does, that's disrespectful to me and I can't sit there and watch that. It showed no class at all, and maybe that comes from their head coach."

Everyone in the house knew the Patriots' first priority yesterday was going to be trying to stop Tomlinson, who scored an NFL-record 31 touchdowns this season.

Tomlinson, though, came right out and gashed the Patriots' defense and did it repeatedly throughout the game, rushing for 123 yards and two TDs. In fact, Tomlinson was generally the Chargers' first option on almost every offensive series. Tomlinson gained 81 of his rushing yards on 10 first-down carries.

[defenderSD]

Overall SD should have run the ball more with Tomlinson and Turner, because our running game was working better than our passing game. Marty & Cam seem to come into a game with a plan and doesn't make enough adjustments for how things are working during the game, but of course it's easy to be a Monday morning play caller. I think Cameron made a mistake on the next to last drive when LT got six yards on first down, then on 2nd and 4 Cameron called a quick out to Jackson to try to get 5 yards and a 1st down. That pass was broken up, then he tried the same play to the other side to Parker and that was broken up too. He probably saw the Pats double covering Gates and bunching in the middle, but still it seems to me with the run working well in the 2nd half we should have run again on 2nd down, then saved a pass play to Jackson or Gates for 3rd down if necessary. Throwing to Parker was a bad idea because he was having a rough game with his fumbled punt and his confidence was down.

Marty is a good technique coach and a good motivator I think, but SD either has to fire him or bring in a new offensive coordinator and give the coordinator total control over the offensive scheme, the playbook, game planning, and play calling. I read that Marty needed to get deep into the playoffs to keep his job, so he's probably going to get fired. AJ Smith, the GM, is a heck of a smart guy and he'll find a good coach. So far Smith has robbed the Giants in a trade of Eli Manning for Rivers, Merriman, and Kaeding. Eli may be great someday but at this point Rivers is much more accurate and makes better decisions (and of course he has LT and Eli doesn't).

[Theresawithanh]

I think almost all celebrating is bull --

Boy, do I ever agree with you! Been watching pro football since the late '60s, and the trend in recent years to dance around and generally act silly when you've done something you're paid to do anyway disgusts me.

[defenderSD]

I agree, and if I was San Diego's coach I'd ask Merriman to save his "lights out" dance for after he wins the Super Bowl and conserve all his energy for playing defense during the games. I wouldn't fine him for it, but I'd be talking to him persistently until he decides to stop that stuff. All it does it waste energy and motivate the other teams.

[mainepatsfan]

Marty deserves to take some grief but the SD receivers really had a lousy game.

[lepton]

"I would never react that way. I'm a very, very classy person."

This is a peculiar argument...he seems to be accusing the Patriots of acting like Merriman, and being upset by it.

[lepton]

I agree, but LT should have been given the ball at least two out of three downs when the Chargers had the ball w/ 3:00+ minutes left.

So he SHOULD have been playing "Martyball"?

[defenderSD]

Yeah they did, especially Parker. That was a tough catch for Jackson on 3rd and 4, but those are the catches that the great ones like Jerry Rice and Charlie Joiner used to make. I remember Joiner taking some vicious hits from Bronco DB's and he still held onto the ball. Our young players just didn't get it done yesterday, but at least nobody got seriously injured on either team and we'll all be back next year. This could be a great rivalry throughout this decade.

[lepton]

I was under the impression that Marty called no plays in yesterday's game, that he had handed that over to others.

That's correct. towards the end he wasn't even wearing a headset.

[beyond the sea]

BRAVO!

LOL

[lepton]

Marty looked like he'd been hit by a truck after the game. He knows he's coached his last game in SD.

And that'd be stupid.

[lepton]

12-1 nobody even comes close to that record, EVER!!

Well, there's a certain coach at 9-1. That seems kindof close.

[lepton]

And even when they made a great play on D, like an interception, they gave it back with a fumble on the same play.

Actually, the best action swould have been to slap the ball to the ground. even if he hadn't fumbled, after the runback he'd still lost 10 yeards.

[EDINVA]

ok, so what IS a 'sack dance?'

[lepton]

Funny how those "better teams" just can't seem to score more points than the Pats.

You have to admit that if you don't watch the Pats regularly, most won't see what they're really doing. They're a very odd-tempo team, and the way they set teams up is unusual.

This team isn't the 2003 or 2004 team, but it shows hints of them from time to time.

[Texas Federalist]

Clearly a Steeler fan wouldn't be such a retard. I don't believe you.

And "earning money at home" by following a six-step plan to riches you discovered in an infomercial at 4 a.m. is not a "job."

[mainepatsfan]

Just as long as they get two more wins.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Perhaps Thomlinson should have taken a cue from a truly classy person and a better football player...Barry Sanders.

Barry would have simply shrugged his shoulders and said, "Hmmf...children" and left the field.

[GOP_Raider]

Pictures really are worth 1,000 words---or roughly 5 in this case.

[Cowboy Bob]

"I was very upset," said Tomlinson, who went after some of the New England players. "I would never react that way. I'm a very, very classy person. When you go to the middle of a field and you're doing the dance that Merriman does, that's disrespectful to me and I can't sit there and watch that.

Its okay for Merriman to do the dance to taunt his opponents, but its wrong for the opponents to mock Merriman. I see...

[mainepatsfan]

You would not believe the SD caller I just heard on the radio. He was trying to argue that the Patriots stole the game because Troy Brown stripped McCree of the ball.